Posted on 01/02/2005 8:50:12 AM PST by worldclass
The real issue here is whether such so-called Federally-funded disaster “relief” is Constitutional. And the answer is very clear: No, it is not. There isn’t the slightest Constitutional authority for Federal tax dollars to be spent for disaster “relief.” Thus, any such expenditure of Federal tax dollars for disaster “relief” --- foreign or domestic --- is illegal, unlawful.
(Excerpt) Read more at peroutka2004.com ...
How much does this aid work out to be per citizen? One dollar? Or two? Does Peroutka think we have control over every bit of our tax dollars? While we are at it, I personally think my school taxes are a waste educating the little sh*t that stole my car. How about that? If we're going to start discussing how our taxes are being used, we should do it in a logical fashion and one that is realistic. Sometimes folks like Peroutka can be a bit unrealistic.
I don't know where to begin...the 10the Amendment is as good as any..."The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited to it by the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people". The Constitution enumerates the powers given to the Federal government and disaster relief is not among them. The states can give all they want, as can the people...but NOT the feds. (I know, the constitution is meaningless today)
You have GOT to be kidding.
It's comments like this that feed liberals' caricatures of conservatives.
It has the potential of another good one, properly seeded. ;-)
If "conservatives" think President Bush is wrong here, and I think Congressman Crockett was right, they best be thinking of the hundred plus years this garbage has been going on, and place the blame squarely where it belongs.
At the feet of the American voter.
I think it all comes down to the story of the good Samaratin.
Given the thousands of dollars I "donate" to the Federal government each year, I don't begrudge $1.20 of it going to aid the victims of this disaster.
So Americans are more charitable than other nations.. big deal. If you want you can agitate for a billl making it illegal to send aid to foriegn nations for disaster relief. Good luck lobbying for this bill. Somehow I don't think the majority will support you. Democracy in action.
This forum prides itself on "working to roll back decades of governmental largesse," yet just about every single post I've seen regarding this recent catastrophe tries to justify our government's "generosity." Many FReepers harshly criticize federal welfare programs like Social Security, so how is this any different?110
It's groupthink and collectivism on massive scale. It has spread around the world. The vast majority of people willingly sacrifice the individual for the greater good of the community. What they all forget or never thought about is that the community cannot exist without the individual. The individual is primary -- comes first. That's a fact, That's reality. Most people, to their own detriment, continually attempt to put the cart before the horse. It has created a massive illusion that the community is primary. It simply is not.210
Do you honestly think that our giving aid to the victims of the tsunamis is being given to make someone look good?
Personally, I think half of these nutjobs are reporters who signed up some time ago so their sign-up date wasn't terribly suspicious.
Now they are making outlandish statements so when they write their newspaper articles they can gives quotes (which they made anonymously) about how conservatives are greedy and stingy.
The Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance which serves both the Agency for International Development and the Department of State, has been involved in disaster aid for more than twenty-five years, including most recently in Darfur and South Asia. It has many friends in Congress who consider its professional response to world-wide catastrophes both necessary, humane, and (dare I say it?) Christian.
I could have replied to a few, but this nails it. All I am saying is that we need to RETHINK conservative prinicples. We assume the New Deal and Great Society are proper and fair. We assume foreign aid is a great thing. I assume NOTHING anymore. Peroutka may or may not be right. But I think he has a perspective that we MUST listen to. Few others in the Republican party are speaking up about it.
Thank you for your response. I thought for a minute there that everyone was going crazy or that I was having delusions. We have always helped those in need. No matter who they are. I didn't like it when we were called stingy. I did say that we should tell those who said that to help these victims because all our money was tied up helping the victims in Iraq. However, the devastation because of this disaster is so great that everyone needs to help. Those little children can't help what the government does.
Fair enough, and this will become even more relevant as the scope of aid...exactly what, when, and where, and for how long...becomes evident. Some of these devastated countries are not our friends, too. A great deal to ponder.
Spoken like a shyster who believes the Consitution is a living, breathing document.
The Constitution was not intended as a general guideline for Government, it is/was a specific blueprint for Government. If it was not written into the Constitution, then the Fed Gov. did/does not have the power to do it. The original amendments were further enumerations on what the Fed Gov could not do.
Perhaps a little Lysander Spooner will help you understand;
http://www.fourmilab.ch/etexts/www/NoTreason/NoTreason.html
Sui
No one is listening to the average citizen which is a big problem. It's a recipe for disaster IMHO.
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